Arranged Marriage
by Kitwit
Summary: What if Bella and Edward were Indian? Very short one-shot, filled with silly stuff like arranged marriages and no-dating rules. Not much characterisation and all that, as its my first FF. I really really would appreciate reviews, thanks.


'Bellinder'... bawled a voice up the stairs. 'Are you dressed yet? It's almost time for Edwinder and his family to get here'.

Yup, that was my mum. All 5 foot 1 inches and 200 pounds of her, bless her! What's all the fuss about anyway? So there's a 'boy' coming to see me today. And I have to get all dressed up and be all nice and Indian-like. As if there is anything remotely Indian about me! I was born in London for chrissakes! But the parents are all into this Indian thing, so here's me, seventeen and never been on a date, let alone been kissed. And here I am getting all ready to get to 'see' a boy, who may or may not like me enough to marry me. Hmmmm!

I drag myself out of bed, and walk lethargically to my dresser. Mum's laid out this whole Indian ensemble that I swear, weighs a tonne. I manage to get myself into it, getting all tangled up a couple times, but finally I am presentable. Mum pops her head in, nodding approvingly. 'Good, very very good, Bellinder [_it's Bella, mum, not Bellinder... grrr_] Now if this Edwinder doesn't like you, no one can say it's because my daughter is not beautiful'! Huh! Beautiful? Me? I sneak a peek into the mirror... hmm, this Indian dress thing is not bad. I look all glowy and pretty with my long dark hair and my brown eyes. Normally you can't get me out of jeans and rugby shirts. I admire myself for about a minute, and then I hear a long, agonised scream.

'Charlinderrrrrrrrrrrrr.... what have you done??? The boy's side is due here any minute and you are not even dressed, get out of that stupid uniform and into your nice kurtas now!!'... Aha, that's mum yelling at Dad, who's just shown up from his shift at the station. Dad's a policeman with the Metropolitan police. Dad's cool, but he does tend to be a bit on the henpecked side, and totally under mum's thumb.

And then, another... 'Ohhhhh, Bellinder, they are here' from mum, drags me out of my room. I arrange myself prettily on the top of the stairs waiting for the boy I am supposed to marry. Indian tradition dictates that he is not allowed to see me until my parents decide its time to parade me out. I hated all this, but was a dutiful daughter I guess. Whatever! I hope this Edwinder chap is hot at least!

'Helloji, hello, how are you?' 'Welcomeji, welcome to out humble house' I hear mum and dad welcoming Edwinder and his family in. I peek over the stairs, but they are already in the living room. My younger sister Alisha (how come she gets a halfway decent name, huh?) comes barrelling up the stairs. 'They want you in there now Bells', she whispers. I sigh and walk down the stairs, picking up the artfully arranged tea tray from the door very carefully. Mum has been cooking all day, in anticipation of this event, and it wouldn't do if I was to trip and have tea flying all over the prospective groom and his family. Shudder! I was tempted to take a snack from the tray too, but restrained myself, instead, walking in decorously, my eyes cast down modestly.

'And this is my daughter, Bellinder', says mum with just the tiniest hint of pride. I put the tray down without incident, thanking my stars that my usual clumsiness is absent today. I give a shy smile, and sit down opposite the 'boy' and his family, next to mum and dad.

'So Bellinder, dear, how are you today?' That's my prospective mother-in-law... 'Fine, ji' I mutter, my eyes still cast down. 'These are delicious snacks, did you make them yourself?' That's pop-in-law... 'Erm...' before I could get a word in edgeways, mum is practically yelling 'Yes, yes ji, she is a wonderful cook, our Bellinder!' Okaaaaaaaayyy!!! And so it went... with me feeling like I was being interrogated for a job interview! Sigh! The things I put myself through for my parents! And I haven't even looked at the boy yet!

I muster up my courage, and lift my eyes up, ever so slightly. And almost fall off my seat! The boy, Edwinder, is a picture of perfection. He had beautiful browny gold hair, and gold eyes. Wow! Our eyes met, as he was shyly sneaking looks at me too. We couldn't look away from each other. Wow! Whoever said love-at-first-sight was a myth obviously hadn't seen Edwinder. Suddenly this whole marriage business didn't seem so bad after all. I could seriously fall in love with this boy.

I was brought back to earth with a bump, as mum and dad exchanged glances with mom-in-law and dad-in-law. 'I think it is time to let Edwinder and Bellinder talk to each other, don't you think ji?' said mum. 'Yes, of courseji, of course'.

Edwinder gets up and gestures for me to follow him. I get up, and look at mum and dad who are both nodding approvingly. I follow him out of the living room.

'So, where's your room Bellinder?' 'Er, Bella, please' I mutter. 'Oh yeah, and call me Ed' says Edwinder. Oh thank Guruji, I was not sure how I would ever have been able to call him Edwinder with a straight face. We walk up to my room, sneaking glances at each other. I wonder if he likes me as much as I do. I guess I will find out soon. We get to my room, and Ed flops on my bed, checking out my posters on the walls. 'Wow, you do like Twilight, don't you' 'I do' I say, sitting down on teh chair beside my desk. We chat about the books for a while, moving on the movies. Then about our likes and dislikes... its surprising how much we have in common, we even support Arsenal FC. Wow. Before I knew it, Ed was asking me that all important question... 'So, Bella, do you think we could make it work?' I knew exactly what he was talking about. 'I think we can' I say shyly. He comes up to me, and kneels in front of me. 'Its your decision, Bella. I do like you very much, and I think we would be really good together, but you have to decide'... Wow!! He was actually asking me if I wanted to do this. I nod again. 'Yes, Ed' I say again. 'I am sure I want to do this, I want to marry you'.

Suddenly, we hear a whoop from outside the door. I race across to the door, catching two sets of very unembarrassed looking parents with their ears to the door. 'Mum, Dad...' I blush, and before I knew if I was getting crushed into a hug and everyone was laughing and talking very loudly about wedding plans and all sorts. Over the general melee, I caught Ed's eye. He winked at me, as if to say 'We're in this together darling!' And that's when I knew that I had found the man I was destined to spend my life with. It was time to start working on falling in love, even if we were to be married first.

The end!


End file.
